Never understood the attraction of aged whites ... but tonight's Crawford River Riesling 1999 just opened whole new horizons for me into how wines age that I simply ever knew existed:
I think the hardest thing to get past is the fact that the nose has lost all it's youth and florals and is now a muted lime, lemon and lannolin mix ... so it deceives that it's over the hill.
But *OMFG* that taste, all the baby fat is gone, no teenage tricks, no eyelid batting, but simply powers through the palate with pure citrus fruits that fill the whole mouth and a touch of honeysuckle actually gaining weight at each stage, culminating (at the risk of sounding like Parker) in a minute long finish. Bone dry and a masterclass in acids which are literally dancing on my tongue as I type. Since I tasted the 2000 Crawford River last night which is slightly over-peak I have to conclude this will not peak for another 3-5+ years when it should add some honey tones and be even better. The fruit and citus just intertwines and then unwinds in the mouth and it simply makes me want to howl at the moon ... if there is dry Riesling better than this I need to buy it. Outstanding.
The crazy part is I just paid about £5 per bottle for this Bin End (thanks J&B), which is the same as Jacobs Creek Riesling 2007.
TN: A great aged Riesling - Crawford River Riesling 1999
TN: A great aged Riesling - Crawford River Riesling 1999
“There are no standards of taste in wine. Each mans own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard". Mark Twain.
I love older rieslings , Last night at a dinner we had a few older bottles like the 99 Brands , 98 seppelt drumberg and then tried a couple of petaluma's from 03 , one under stelvin and the other cork and i must say the age difference was incredible
Regards Dazza
Regards Dazza
Some people slurp it,others swill it,a few sip on it,some gaze at it for hours ,enough now wheres the RED
Surprise, surprise...
No.
On current form Crawford River Riesling is Australia's finest iteration of Riesling. It ages; it's beautiful; it's lean, minerally and long. It is outstanding.
I have not had Grosset 1984, but
... if I was selecting Landmark Australia 2010
Crawford River gets my pick ahead of the more vaunted Grosset Polish Hill.
And
I have a lot more Grosset in my cellar.
Alas.
No.
On current form Crawford River Riesling is Australia's finest iteration of Riesling. It ages; it's beautiful; it's lean, minerally and long. It is outstanding.
I have not had Grosset 1984, but
... if I was selecting Landmark Australia 2010
Crawford River gets my pick ahead of the more vaunted Grosset Polish Hill.
And
I have a lot more Grosset in my cellar.
Alas.
I didn't really plan this too well. I'm drinking 2001 tonight and noted the slightly tired 2000 in the weekday thread. So to keep it tidy I'll put them in the same thread here -
Crawford River Riesling 2000
Lifted kero intertwines with honeysuckle and melon on the nose. Developed palate with more toast, honey yet still underpinned with lovely citrus and acid. A mouthfilling and very interesting wine. I was very dubious about the first glass but it has got better and better and freshened up. It can be savoured and makes me want to try more aged riesling. This is from a weaker vintage and you don't want to wait. Don't overchill it and drink now.
Crawford River Riesling 2001
Nose of lychees and honeydew melon, invitingly primary and far far younger than the tiring 2000 and amazing but maturing 1999. Straw yellow colour. More restrained that 1999 and very undeveloped. Excellent minerals, great acid, subdued lime. Very very tight at this stage, not mouthfilling but showing length and elegance. I rate it Very Good/Excellent moving up to Excellent in 5 years.
I really like the lovely 2001 CR, 2000 is interesting but getting tired. I am simply in awe of the 1999 - in another league really and the 2001 puts it in perspective for me. If there was a Reserve made in 1999 I'd be interested to try for sure!
Crawford River Riesling 2000
Lifted kero intertwines with honeysuckle and melon on the nose. Developed palate with more toast, honey yet still underpinned with lovely citrus and acid. A mouthfilling and very interesting wine. I was very dubious about the first glass but it has got better and better and freshened up. It can be savoured and makes me want to try more aged riesling. This is from a weaker vintage and you don't want to wait. Don't overchill it and drink now.
Crawford River Riesling 2001
Nose of lychees and honeydew melon, invitingly primary and far far younger than the tiring 2000 and amazing but maturing 1999. Straw yellow colour. More restrained that 1999 and very undeveloped. Excellent minerals, great acid, subdued lime. Very very tight at this stage, not mouthfilling but showing length and elegance. I rate it Very Good/Excellent moving up to Excellent in 5 years.
I really like the lovely 2001 CR, 2000 is interesting but getting tired. I am simply in awe of the 1999 - in another league really and the 2001 puts it in perspective for me. If there was a Reserve made in 1999 I'd be interested to try for sure!
“There are no standards of taste in wine. Each mans own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard". Mark Twain.
Now a slight Riesling ramble ... I've opened *second* bottles each of the CR 1999 and 2001 over the last two nights. Pure self-indulgence and no excuses!
The 1999 was suffering from very low-level TCA which thankfully faded. Marginally muted compared to the first bottle but also tighter and slightly younger. Picked up astonishing buttery, mealy, lees-y characters initially which reminded me of a very good young Burgundy (and Te Mata Cape Crest 2005!) before merging with the citrus as it opened up powerfully again. Multi-dimensional and a wine you can lose yourself in, a notch off the first bottle. Excellent-Outstanding.
The 2001 was fresher and more powerful than the first bottle. Steely, very young, completely primary. Give it 5 years and it may rival the 2001. A notch better than the first bottle in terms of the amazing acids. Excellent+.
I remember Adair brought over a Seppelt Drumborg 05 to NZ and I'd buy Drumborg for sure if I could get it here in the UK! Similar profile and probably on a par with CR to my palate but I have now tried 99/00/01/03/04/05 CR vs only 05 Drumborg.
I think the difficulty when Riesling is young is that the greatest wines exhibit great balance but (my visual metaphor) the fruit is like sunlight shining through a tiny pinprick. You have to look for the profile and acid and search for a very narrow penetrating beam of light.
The 1999 was suffering from very low-level TCA which thankfully faded. Marginally muted compared to the first bottle but also tighter and slightly younger. Picked up astonishing buttery, mealy, lees-y characters initially which reminded me of a very good young Burgundy (and Te Mata Cape Crest 2005!) before merging with the citrus as it opened up powerfully again. Multi-dimensional and a wine you can lose yourself in, a notch off the first bottle. Excellent-Outstanding.
The 2001 was fresher and more powerful than the first bottle. Steely, very young, completely primary. Give it 5 years and it may rival the 2001. A notch better than the first bottle in terms of the amazing acids. Excellent+.
I remember Adair brought over a Seppelt Drumborg 05 to NZ and I'd buy Drumborg for sure if I could get it here in the UK! Similar profile and probably on a par with CR to my palate but I have now tried 99/00/01/03/04/05 CR vs only 05 Drumborg.
I think the difficulty when Riesling is young is that the greatest wines exhibit great balance but (my visual metaphor) the fruit is like sunlight shining through a tiny pinprick. You have to look for the profile and acid and search for a very narrow penetrating beam of light.
“There are no standards of taste in wine. Each mans own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard". Mark Twain.